


Paradisum

by LittleTwoLegs



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Family Fluff, FitzSimmons - Freeform, Gen, Grandma!May, Grandpa!Phil, Philinda - Freeform, Tumblr Prompt, just pure fluff, mackelena, quakerider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2018-02-12
Packaged: 2019-03-17 06:26:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13653321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleTwoLegs/pseuds/LittleTwoLegs
Summary: Prompt: I want a fluff piece with Philinda and a baby. It can be theirs, it can be part of a mission, I'm not picky. I just have a weak spot for fluff involving Philinda and babies.A day in the life of retired agents Phil and Melinda May-Coulson.





	Paradisum

**Author's Note:**

> I had fun writing this! It comes so easy to these characters, both of whom I think inherit the parental instinct from their actors, both parents in real life, and it was a pleasure to play with that trait.
> 
> I do so hope this came out well. Writing fluff does not come naturally to me. One might notice none of my stories that aren't prompts are fluffy. I admit to this genre being challenging so please please please critique with anything you find needs improvement! I very much welcome it, either here or on my tumblr!

Phil had to be dreaming. There was no way this could be reality, it was too much, too pure to be something he deserved and would receive. He turned on his side, smiling at the sleeping face of the love of his life. Her features were soft, the long dark hair he loved streaked with gray fell over her shoulder and onto the squirming bundle between them. Phil felt his heart swell, looking down at the wiggling baby.

He placed a finger in his tiny hand, his heart jumping when the baby squeezed it as hard as he could. “Hey James, whatcha doin’?” Phil asked as the baby swung his little arms up and down. He had to smother a laugh as James tried to roll over and only succeeded in smacking a slobbery hand to Melinda’s face.

She opened her eyes, the sleep quickly blinked away as she took in the sight before her. Phil would be grateful every day that they decided to retire; since then, smiles on Melinda became commonplace, her laughter and jokes an everyday occurrence. James followed her example, drool dripping down his cheek as he gave her a gummy smile.

Melinda gave a sleepy chuckle, reaching behind her for one of the many rags they kept around the house for this reason exactly, and wiped away the worst of it. Her smile widened as the baby began chewing the cloth. She met Phil’s eyes over James’ tight blond curls and Phil felt his heart skip a beat. “How long’ve you been up?” she asked, stretching out her body, careful not to squish the baby.

Phil shrugged. “Not long.” He pushed his glasses up his nose, once again cursing the fact that he needed them every day for everything now. He remembered shooting a former circus member from about 20 yards out exactly where he wanted and jumping out of a plane and directing himself with just gravity and air resistance to land where he needed to. Those days were over.

But it was worth it, he thought. He watched as Melinda sat up in bed, pulling James up to rest against her thighs, supporting his head with her knees. She tickled his tummy and laughed as he kicked his little feet, squealing and wiggling even more as Phil used one finger to tickle the little toes through the tiny yellow sock.

Melinda exaggeratedly gasped, letting James grab her hands in his. She wiggled them, nuzzling his nose with hers. “What was that, baby?” she asked, voice terribly concerned. The baby hummed, sucking on his bottom lip. “What was that?” she asked again. He squealed loudly, legs kicking in delight as Melinda buried her face in his neck, growling and playfully munching on him.

Phil chuckled and rolled over, grabbing his prosthesis from the bedside table and setting it to his arm. He winced as the nerves connected and flexed the digits. He did the same thing every day and it hurt every time. After locating his house slippers he stood, scuffing his feet as he went to the restroom to do his morning routine, baby giggles and his wife’s voice the delightful soundtrack of his life.

He finished quickly, eager for his turn to cuddle the littlest member of their family. He held his hands out to Melinda, smiling widely as the baby kicked his feet and blew spit bubbles. Instead of taking James from Melinda, Phil placed his hands over hers, pulling both baby and woman close. Melinda laughed low in her throat, stepping closer to Phil, gently squishing James between them. He didn’t seem to mind, tossing his head back onto Melinda while fisting spit covered hands into Phil’s shirt.

The crinkles at Phil’s eyes deepened as he smiled at Melinda over James’ head. They kissed, smiling into it as they listened to the baby babbling at them. Silently, foreheads resting against each other, they basked in the presence of their family. Melinda began humming, random notes mixed with a few bars from nursery rhymes.

This had to be Heaven, Phil thought. There was no way they got to do this, be like this with one another. His heart pounded in his chest, and he tried to commit this moment to memory.

The soft skin of Jame’s cheeks rubbed against his stubble and he worried for a quick moment but the baby simply started pawing at his face, fascinated with the different texture. Another smile pulled at Phil’s lips when the infant began grabbing at his nose. He loved James, so very much, it hurt when he thought about it. He had thought himself full to the brim with how many people he loved; Melinda, Daisy, Fitzsimmons, Mack and Elena, hell, even Robbie to a point but when he held this baby, this tiny, warm, wriggling little body, he felt that he could love just that much more.

Phil startled at the touch to his cheek from Melinda. Her eyes danced with laughter and he realized he was crying again. “Don’t judge me.” He quipped. Melinda raised her brows.

“Oh, I would never do that, Phil. Not even at how hard you cried when James said ‘Mama’.” Melinda teased back. Her heart squeezed in her chest, full of the love and adoration she held for these two individuals. Phil was so easy with him, both synthetic and flesh hands gentle, his patience unlimited. He didn’t even get angry when James drooled on his expensive suites or gummed a tie up so bad it was beyond saving. Her husband –the title still made her breath catch- was born to be a father. He had the same thoughts about her, she knew, but really, watching him with James was bittersweet in a way that she knew Phil felt as well.

Phil scoffed and pulled James away. “Just for that, I get more cuddle time,” He said, settling James into his arms. Melinda petted the baby’s soft hair, laughing when Phil turned from her. “Shoo! My baby.” He blew her a kiss over his shoulder, teasing aside for the moment. She grinned and turned to the restroom. The sound of the shower startled James, making him give a huff of excitement and Phil exclaimed. “Oh! What did you hear?” James enthusiastically replied, animatedly relaying his observations.

Phil chuckled and exited the room, intent on getting breakfast done before Melinda finished her shower.

-:X:-

Melinda stood beneath the spray, eyes closed as she embraced the heat of the water. She hadn’t felt this content in some time, regardless of having retired almost over four years ago. Before James there had been an ache in both her and Phil, something they never spoke of but easily recognized in one another. Daisy had said it was all the “eye-sex” she and Phil had. Phil, hearing his daughter talk about him having sex, was mentally scarred but Melinda had merely rolled her eyes.

Phil had said it was the lack of purpose that was getting to them. All their lives they had been in service to a person or an ideal; Phil had joined the Army at 17 and transferred to SHIELD when he was 25 and had been an agent ever since. She had gone straight to the Academy right after training in both the CIA and MI6 (her mother was very disappointed she didn’t follow in her footsteps).

The truth was that she and Phil did not know _how to be_ retired. They tried, the first year, with the kids’ help. Daisy set them up to go to the beach (where they wound up solving a serial killer case with the police), Mack and Elena planned an elaborate private cruise for them (and instead they stopped a drug cartel), and Fitzsimmons organized an African safari (no one was surprised when they killed a whole network of poachers. Neither she nor Phil regretted that vacation in the least bit). After all the “failed” vacation plans, Daisy had designed a stay-cation for them.

That had gone a little better but instead of a relaxing two weeks with no responsibilities she and Phil had beefed up their security and had made detailed escape plans and go-bags in case something bad happened. It worked quite well on the practice run they forced everyone into.

Daisy had given up after that.

When the surprising news of James coming into the world became known, it was a relief to everyone. Phil and Melinda were able to set their laser focus onto something else; they began making a suitable nursery, bought all the necessary furniture for a baby, and spent what probably amounted to a few months’ paychecks on baby clothes. There were purple onesies, ducky themed bath sets, dinosaur soft shoes and fox eared beanies. Phil, ever the tinkerer, mounted a laser-grid security system into the baby’s room and hardwired it to the nondescript house’s security network. If something set that off the whole house as put on lock down until Phil or Melinda put in their biometric code and a warning was automatically sent to SHIELD headquarters.

That last bit had been Daisy’s doing, against the protests of the retired agents that they could take care of a threat themselves. She called it her contribution to May’s “nesting” campaign.

Dressed in loose pants and a tank top, Melinda looked at herself in the mirror. She had the beginnings of wrinkles that echoed her mother, gray strands of hair she would like to pull out but for some reason Phil adored and the lines of her mouth were no longer shaped by frowns but laughter and smiles just as were her crow’s feet that had begun to form. Melinda smiled at herself, happy to be where she was, with Phil and with James and grateful everyday to have what she once thought she never could. She applied a layer of lip balm before braiding her hair over her shoulder and tying it off with a hair tie. She nodded to herself and headed out for breakfast.

-:X:-

They spent the whole day with James. When he cried for food Melinda fed him (because when Phil did it, it took an hour to clean up), when he wanted to play Phil laid on the floor on the blue and green monkey blanket and gently played with the purple stuffed elephant the child adored. He cried a few times and Phil knew he was on diaper duty but Melinda was willing to bathe him after an incident that involved an ill capped Gatorade so they called it square.

When he was unwilling to take a nap and let Melinda wash dishes or Phil do the laundry they both laid down on the sofa with him. Phil lay along the cushions with Melinda facing him, balancing her slimmer body on the edge. James snuggled between them, his tiny hands fisted in Phil’s shirt and his face buried in Melinda’s neck. Her shoulder was going to be slobbered all over, and by consequence Phil’s arm that she was using as a pillow, but neither cared to move. They talked quietly over the sleeping child, plans for the future, concerns about their kids and the little things around the house that needed doing until naptime was over.

The team had already expressed concerns over what they were teaching James, things like “kitchen knife” versus “hunting knife” and “throwing knife”, so they agreed to tone it down. Instead they focused on languages; Phil frequently spoke to James in Spanish, Pashto, Portuguese and what little Tagalog he knew while Melinda almost drilled him in Mandarin, Russian and French. While he couldn’t speak very well yet, missing most his teeth and lacking of fine motor skills of tongue and lips, he could accurately point out most flashcards that had pictures of the words called out. Phil was quite proud, and while Melinda was too, she was also already planning future lessons.

Night fell and James was being rowdy, for him at least, tossing his plush elephant at the TV that was on the National Geographic Channel and grunting in protest. He refused to go to bed at this hour, absolutely not! Luckily he was still up when the team came busting through the door or Melinda might have intentionally done some extensive bodily harm next training session.

Daisy was the first one through, her dark gray pantsuit giving Melinda flashbacks to her youth. She held a basket full of coffee, tea and different chocolates in one arm and a zip-up binder in the other. She was laughing, presumably at something Mack said, making the baby in Melinda’s arms startle and settle down, head snapping in Daisy’s direction.

Fitzsimmons came through the door next, both sunburned and a little bit miserable. In one hand Fitz held a baby carrier, in the other he had a diaper bag. Jemma carried in large bags of food, chittering away at her husband while they made their way to the kitchen, trailing behind Daisy. Phil and Melinda smiled widely as Mack helped Elena down onto the sofa, kissing her and her large belly before he stood. He made sure his wife was settled before greeting the two retirees and patting James’ head. He heard Robbie call for him at the door and excused himself.

Jemma approached May and James. “Oh, baby! Mommy has missed you so much! Come here, James!” She said holding her hands out. James wiggled but remained attached to Melinda’s neck.

Melinda smirked. “Looks like its Grandma time still.” Phil laughed, tickling the little foot that found purchase at the crook of his elbow.

“And Grandpa!” he said, resting his hand over the infant’s back. James kicked his feet a little, gumming at Melinda’s hair until Phil pulled it away. She smiled at him, leaning over to kiss him quickly, separating just as they heard their kids groan in playful disgust.

“Get a room!” Daisy shouted from the kitchen island. Phil stuck his tongue out while Melinda raised a brow.

Elena laughed, placing a hand on her stomach. “I think, _hermana_ , this is their house; every room is their room!” They laughed at Phil’s “Yeah!” that quickly followed the statement. He got up to help with the food and drinks the kids had brought for the family night in.

Everything and everyone became settled rather quickly and Phil watched with a gentle smile.

Mack helped Robbie pull in a new bed set for the baby, the two managing to take the heavy boxes upstairs by themselves before coming down to visit with the rest of the family. Jemma sat next to Melinda, resting her face against the older woman’s shoulder, trying to convince her baby to come to her arms while both James and Melinda stubbornly refused. Mack and Elena sat in the love seat, the Latina putting her feet in Mack’s lap and placing the plate of food he had passed her onto her stomach. She grinned in triumph as it held it at the perfect level. Mack threw his head back laughing as she crowed her victory for all to see.

Robbie sat on the floor in front of the low table, placing his and Daisy’s plates on it so they did not have to hold them. The young woman thanked him, running a hand through his hair before taking off her blazer, setting it neatly over the back of one of the kitchen island’s chairs, and sitting cross legged next to him. Her binder sat neatly in her lap, nervous fingers tapping away at it, her mind on its contents. Phil did not miss the way Robbie pressed his shoulder into hers, or the way she immediately passed the binder over and did not protest Robbie setting it beneath the table on his side, well out of her reach. It was such a perfect reflection of Melinda and himself that Phil couldn’t help but chuckle. He took a step forward to reclaim his spot beside his wife but stopped as Fitz sat in his spot. James quickly wiggled in his direction, making each woman pout as the young Scot took his eager son into his arms with a victorious cackle.

No, Phil thought, _this_ is paradise. This is my Heaven. He met Melinda's eyes over the noise and commotion of their kids and grandchild. She smiled, peace over coming her.

They had each other, they had their kids and a grandchild.

Everything was all right.

**Author's Note:**

> The ending is a little abrupt, I think, but I couldn't find a way to extend it to where it didn't drag. Thoughts?  
> I tried to make it clear by context clues rather than outright saying it but in case it wasn't; Daisy is the Director of SHIELD now. The business suit, the binder and the worry as well as being "a reflection" of Phil and Melinda were the clues I dropped. 
> 
> Once again, please critique or just drop a comment if you liked it or not! Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!!


End file.
